Thursday, Feb 23, 2006

Oakland police said they're still looking for two armed men suspected of stealing and strangling a woman's tiny Yorkshire terrier in late February.

Officer Bradley Miller said the incident at an apartment complex near Lake Merritt about 8:30 p.m. Feb. 23 was "absolutely traumatic'' for the victim, 25-year-old molecular biologist Lea Dunn.

Miller said Dunn and her boyfriend were taking a friend home when two men pushed their way past them as they entered the lobby of the friend's apartment complex in the 100 block of Montecito Avenue.

The men grabbed Dunn's dog, "Princess,'' which was walking off leash a few feet ahead.

Dunn screamed and tried to wrestle Princess away from one of the men, but she and her friends backed off after one of the men flashed a gun.

Miller said the two men fled with Princess, followed by Dunn and her boyfriend.

The two men dropped the dog on the ground about a half-block away from the apartment complex and Dunn and her boyfriend found Princess dead, apparently strangled, Miller said.

Miller said the couple has provided "some information'' about the suspects and police hope to release a composite sketch of the men next week.

In addition, a $5,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Miller said the men face robbery and animal cruelty charges.

Oakland police ask that anyone with information about the incident call the robbery unit at (510) 238-3326 or Crime Stoppers at (510) 238-6946.

Case Updates

Police on Wednesday released composite sketches of two men accused of stealing a local woman's beloved dog and killing the tiny terrier in the process.

The two men pictured in the sketches are wanted by Oakland police in connection with an incident that took place Feb. 23 in the lobby of an apartment building in the 100 block of Montecito Avenue, near Lake Merritt.

Pet owner Lea Dunn, 25, was entering the building about 8:30 p.m. with friends while her 2.9-pound Yorkshire terrier, Princess, walked off leash a few feet ahead. The men pushed their way past the group and, once inside the lobby, the taller of the two men grabbed Princess.

When Dunn realized the encounter was not friendly and the men were going to steal her dog, she put up a fight. She tried to wrestle Princess from the robber's arms, she said.

The men ran out of the building with Princess after one suspect, wearing a skullcap, flashed a gun at Dunn and her friends and told them to back off.

Dunn and her boyfriend followed, but they found Princess' lifeless body discarded on the ground about a half-block from the apartment building.

Dunn has said she fears Princess might have been strangled in the struggle.

Police are holding the men responsible for the dog's death, and they will face animal cruelty charges along with robbery charges if arrested, investigating Officer Bradley Miller said.

The suspects are described as black men in their 20s. The gunman is about 5 feet 10 inches tall, 180 pounds, clean-shaven with a dark complexion, according to police. He was wearing a white skullcap, baggy jeans and a white T-shirt.

The second suspect is described as 6 feet tall, 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a sleeveless, white T-shirt, baggie jeans and a white headband and wristband.

Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $5,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with information should call police at 238-3326 or Crime Stoppers at 238-6946.

References

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